Swinging for the Fences

The goals have yet to change for the Birmingham Barons, even though the franchise has firmly settled into its new digs.

“We just want everyone, when they come out to Regions Field, to have the best possible experience, whether it be their first or their 50th,” said Barons General Manager Jonathan Nelson. “It’s fun, fresh, and it’s as fun as it was the first time they came out.”

Regions Field was designed and constructed in 2013 as the avenue to bring the baseball team back to the heart of the city, where it had not been since the team left Rickwood Field for Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in 1988.

“When we moved down to Regions Field, we knew it would be a game changer in so many different ways,” Nelson said. “It’s been an incredible opportunity for the organization and for this entire community.”

It certainly has been a game changer. Since the Barons’ arrival in 2013, surrounding areas such as the Uptown and Parkside districts have begun to flourish. Railroad Park continues to prosper, and residential options are appearing at seemingly every turn.

The ripple effect is still ongoing, as the Barons are entering their fifth season back in Birmingham in 2017. “Talk to me a year from now, and there’s going to be even more of an atmosphere,” said Mike Ferko, director of productions and promotions for the Barons.

“It’s really a fun, exciting time,” Nelson added.

The White Sox organization — of which the Barons are a minor league affiliate — coordinates spring training in Glendale, Arizona, from mid-February through March. Players assigned to the Barons will report to Birmingham at the beginning of April. The Barons begin the season on the road, with the home opener slated for April 11 at Regions Field.

THE EARLY DAYS

When designing Regions Field, the Barons’ organization was not content with a cookie-cutter facility. The move back downtown needed to be met with a state-of-the-art ballpark.

“We certainly wanted to design a modern ballpark that had all the modern bells and whistles and amenities that fit the needs of this community,” Nelson said.

That mission was accomplished. In 2013, Regions Field was named Ballpark of the Year by BaseballParks.com, a service that looks at baseball stadiums around the country, not limited to any specific league or level of baseball. In 2015, Baseball America rated Regions Field the third best minor league park in the country.

“That’s a pretty great recognition for the ballpark, for the city of Birmingham and for this community overall, because it continues all of those acknowledgments and awards,” Nelson said.

Looking back on the construction of the stadium and move of the team, Nelson calls it one of the most “fun” projects he has worked on in his professional career. He continually emphasized the community of Birmingham.

“The big picture was that we were creating something much bigger than Barons baseball, something huge for this community and huge in so many ways,” Nelson said. “We knew that we were creating something special with Regions Field, and it was fun to sit back and hear people talk about it and get that enthusiasm.”

Ferko is set to begin his sixth year working with the Barons organization. He was with the team during its final days in Hoover and helped with the transition to Regions Field.

“There was a lot of anticipation and excitement of moving to a new ballpark,” he said. “We obviously enjoyed and appreciated our history in Hoover, and there’s a lot of history that will always be centered around that ballpark. With that, came a ton of work to be done over that offseason, and is something I’ll always remember.”

That initial season in 2013 was by all intents and purposes a “dream season” for the entire organization. Along with the new ballpark drawing rave reviews and large crowds, the team put together a great year and won the Southern League championship.

The Barons have limited control over the quality of the team each year, but after speaking with Chicago White Sox management, Nelson said he believes the 2017 on-field product will be a competitive one.

KEEPING THE PRODUCT GREAT

The fact the team fluctuates on a yearly basis puts the onus on the Barons organization to ensure that no matter the competitiveness of a given year’s team, an attractive environment is produced for every game at Regions Field.

“We have to continue to examine our operation, create fun and new things at Regions Field to make our product fresh,” Nelson said. “It goes into all the different details of everything that we do.”

Whether it is training game day employees to greet incoming patrons with enthusiasm or adding intriguing concession items to the stadium’s menu, Nelson said the team’s perpetual goal is “to continue to want to raise the bar in everything that we do.”

Ferko assumes much of that responsibility as well, as he has a large hand in the in-game entertainment and promotional events throughout the season.

“We’re always looking for creative ways to entertain the fans,” he said.

As far as promotions go in 2017, the Barons will feature season-long staples as well as a few new wrinkles this season.

“Fans can definitely look forward to the fan favorites, as far as entertainers and giveaways,” he said. “This year, we’re trying to put a spin on some things. Fans can look forward to some new things as well.”

One of the additions was announced in March: The SwitchYard on 14th will feature two airstream trailers — one offering gastropub-type menu items friendly for both adults and kids, and the other offering a full bar that includes 20 draft beers on tap — plus a shaded entertainment area with outdoor games such as bocce and ping pong. 

Despite having such a great facility, Nelson refuses to sit on his laurels and passively put things in cruise control. 

He harkens back to his days in the early 1990s working under former Barons General Manager Bill Hardekopf, who made a profound statement that Nelson repeats to his staff today: “We’re in the memory-making business.”